Dental floss holder



Jan. 1, 1935. H ARP 1 1,986,371

DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1934 fizmaaihflllomey Invenior Jan. 1, 1935. T, HARls 1,986,371

DENTAL FLOS S HOLDER 4 Filed March 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 1H. Sharp A By @Mfloiu Patented Jan. 1, 1935 i i r 1 9 371 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER Henry Thomas Sharp, Chicago, Ill.Application March 20, 1934, Serial No. 716,535

f .4 Claims. (Cl. 132-92) This invention relates to an improved dentaladapter hole 15 formed in the body to accomfloss holder in the nature ofa hand actuated modate the dental floss and its associated parts.implement or tool wherein the dental floss is so As shown in Figure 8,one of the parts comarranged and held as to facilitate'cleaning theprises a cup-like casing 16 having a feed slot interstices between theteeth. 17 through which the dental floss 18 passes. The 5 Brieflystated, the preferred embodiment of dental floss is woundon a spool 19which, as the invention comprises a body or stock formed shown in Figure'7, has one ofits headsforrned at one end with a convenient handle andat the around its marginal portion with sockets 20 opposite end with alaterally offset fork between which serve as keeper holes. These holesare whose prongs one stretch of the dental floss is adapted toaccommodate a keeper pin or stub 21 10 tautly bowed, whereby to permitthis limited formed on one end of a latch lever 22. The stretch orportion of the floss to be conveniently lever is pivotally mountedintermediate its ends, inserted and manipulated in the interstices or asindicated at 23 on the casing and located beinter-dental spaces. tweenthe depressible end of the lever and the It is admittedly old in thisparticular line of handle is an expansion spring 23 which serves 15endeavor to provide various forms and styles to seat the keeper pin 21in the keeper holes or of dental floss holders. Therefore, it is myprisockets The dental floss unit, embodying the mary aim to generallyimprove upon known parts-'16 andl9', is held in the adapter hole 15types by providing a structure characterized by through theinstrumentality of a set screw 24, as

20 simplicity and other structural refinements, such shown in Figure 5.The dental floss is unwound 20 as appear to be more aptly fltted for thepurposes from the reel or spool and threaded up through intended and tootherwise better fulfill the rethe guide bore 14 and then trainedlaterally quirements of an implement of this kind. through a kerf 25formed in the extremity of the t r featu es and advantages will becomefork arm 12. The dental floss is then carried 25 more ad ly appa nt f mt f w g d across the space between the extremities of the 25 Scriptionand drawingsfork arms or prongs 12 and 13, as indicated at 26 In thedrawings:-- in Figure 5, and is then trained downwardly Figure 1 is anelevational view showing the through and over a retaining kerf 2'7formed preferred embodiment of the invention and the in the extremity ofthe fork arm 13. This fork 3o selection and association of structuralfeatures, arm 13 is further formed with a retention or the device beingmade ready for'use. guide groove 28 and the free end portion 29 ofFigure 2 is an edge elevation of Figure 1, obthe floss is drawn downthrough this kerf and tied serving it in a direction from left to right.around the head of the set screw, as indicated at Figure 3 is anenlarged detail sectional View 30. As the dental floss is used, a newstretch 26 taken approximately on the plane of the line is brought intoposition and the surplus at the 35 3-3 of Figure 1. free end portion 30is cut ofi, if desired.

Figure 4 is a perspective detail view. The dental floss unit orcartridge, as it is somea Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional andeletimes called, is to be purchased as a separate unit vational viewillustrating the method of threadon the market and inserted into theadapter ing the dental floss for adjustable usage. hole 15 where it isheld in place by the set screw 40 Figure 6 is a view somewhat similar toFig-, 24, as is obvious. The spring pressed latch 22 ure 3, with thedental floss spool and associated serves to prevent rotation of thespool and conappurtenances removed. sequent unwinding of the floss. Thearm por- Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views of the tions 12 and 13 ofthe fork are preferably of yieldspool and its cup-like casing,respectively. able form and are pressed slightly together be- 45 Thebody portion of the stock, which may be tween the fingers as theportion26 of the floss of any appropriate material, is denoted by the isstretched tautly between the kerfs 25 and 27. numeral 9 and may be ofsuitable shape and pro- Then as the floss stretches during thereciprocaportions. At one end it is formed with an extory operation ofthe portion 26 betweenv the tension which defines a handle 10. Theoppoteeth, the arms 13 and 12 expand or separate, 50

site end portion is fashioned to provide a lat-. keeping said portion 26taut. erally offset fork 11. The arms of the fork are Novelty is thoughtto reside in the one-piece differentiated by the numerals 12 and 13,rebody or stock including a body portion 9 apspectively. The arm 12 isprovided with a guide propriately fashioned and apertured, as at 15, to

66 bore 14 which is in communication with an adapt said aperture toaccommodate the dental floss cartridge or unit, wherein said body isformed at one end with a handle 10 and at the opposite end with aresilient fork 11 between whose arms the operating portion of the fiossis tautly bowed or stretched. Additional novelty is predicated on theoffset fork, that is, laterally offset with respect to the handle 10 tofacilitate efiicient usage, together with the bore 14 and the groovedarm 13 and the cooperating notches or kerfs 25. and 26 and the doubleusage. of the. set screw. 24 to serve asearretaining :element-for thecartridge, as well as an anchoring element for the extremity of thefloss.

It is thought that the description, taken in connection with thedrawings, will enableaclear understanding of the invention to ,be had..Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary. 1

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribedy'it is to be understood .that A minor changes coming withinthefifildof invention claimed may .be. resorted to if -Idesire'd. I

I claim:--

v1. Aslanew .art'icle: ofsmanufacturaca. dental flosscartridge.-f0r..use inassociation with a holder :ofithe.type'describedcomprising a. .cup-like. cas- :ing,aflossCOIltafillingSIJQOl-hlflllntd for rotation insaidcasing one head ofthespool being formed \with. keeper: .holes, .a; latch. .-pivotallymounted. in- .ter-mediate.itsrendson.the. rim .ofthe casing, anda;.keeper.stud .carried by the. free-end portion. of the elatch andselectively engageable with said .keeper holes.

v2 A structure of the class described comprisingt-anim-plementincludingua body. formed with ,an adapteriholevaihandler-and asfork,said fork .=havi-ng guide: means for l the dental\ floss; a. floss unitcomprising a casing fitted into said adafiter hole, a spool mounted forrotation in said casing, the rim of the casing having an outlet slot forthe dental floss, and a set screw carried by said body and engageablewith said casing to maintain the latter in place.

3. A structure of the class described comprising a body formed with anadapter opening, a handle carried by said body, and a fork formedintegral with .-.thebody,..one of saidfork? arms being provided with alongitudinal bore inw-communication with said opening, the other forkarm being formed with a dental floss retention groove, a

casing removably mounted in said adapter open- -ingpa dental floss spoolmounted for rotation in ..said casing, the casing having a guide slot incommunication with said bore, and a set screw carniedlby'said:bodyandengageable with the casing to hold the casing in place, togetherwith adjustableretaining means for said spool.

A. Aldentalufloss holder ofrthe class described comprisingia.bodyhavinga fork at one endtand ,a handle. atlthe oppositeend, thatportion .of. the .body f.between the .handle and fork being .pro-

vided with an adapterhole, oneofttheforlearms being provided with alongitudinal-bore in com- .munication with. said. .hole, thecotherl forkanm .being formed with a dental .floss retention groove, 2. renewable-.dental [floss cartridge 'removably mounted. in said adapter; hole,and. assetsscrew carried by [said body having its innerend rpro--jecting into said hole to-holdthe-..cartridge.-*in .place, the 1.headedi end of said. .set screw =-bei1ig located adjacent the innerendof the-aforesaid groove in order to accommodatethe' freeren'd portionof the dental floss.

-HENRY THOMAS vSHARP,

